Stripping apparatus



Feb. 19, 1946.

.1. J .LEMBITZ ETAL STRIPPING- APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 H TTOENE Y W VENTOES J J LEMB/TZ S. M MART/N J 6? MILLER nd/W 1. M

Feb. 19, 1946. J. JJLEMBITZ E'I"AL STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed Jung 17, l943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 wvvavroes J J LEMB/ T2 5. M. MARTIN .1 G. MILLER. BVJA M HTTOEA/EY 19,1946. J. J. LEMBITZ ET AL 2,395,374

STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 $2M o n m flmfl S J 7 H v. i M B f 1 0 i Q I; f w 5:52:51: {L111 V lIi -Eiflilky Patented F eb. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Electric Oompany, .=-Incorpora.ted, New York, N. a-corporationpf New York Application June 17, 1943, Serial 'No. 491,126

11 "Claims.

This invention relates to stripping apparatus andmore particularly to an apparatus iorstr'ipping insulation from conductors and fortrimrning theendstofthe conductors.

.It is an obiectiof the present invention to .provide a .simple apparatus .for expeditiously trimming and stripping insulated conductors.

In accordance with -.one=embodiment.of the invention, a three-conductor cord is .loosely Jfixed in position .on .-a. slidable .plate, which .is, .in turn, adapted .to .be slid under ttheiram of a punch press. The .ram of the punch press carries tools which cooperate with other tool mounted on the slidable plate to engage the three conductors .to shear them to predetermined lengths andto strip off a short length -.of insulation adjacent to the sheared ends of the conductors. The tools mounted on the ram and .slidable plate are actuated toefiect theshearingof'theuends of the conductors and .to pinch the iinsulation thereon in the first part of the stroke of the press and ma later portion 'of the stroke of .the press, all of the tools are moved transversely to strip the insulation, between the pinched portion thereof and the ends 'of the conductors, (off of the conductors.

.A clear understanding -of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description "when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, :wherein Fig. leis a plan view of the slidable plate and the tools carried thereby in :their normal inoperative position, parts bein .bI'QkBIl away to more clearly illustrate un derlyingpart-s;

shown in 'Fig. 6 showing the tools in their eperated position; V

Fig. 8is asectionalview'tahen-through-the tools shown in "Figs. 6 and "7 and showing the tools in operated'position with an insulated conductor in dot and dash lines between the tools after' 'the shearing has taken place, butprior tothe stripping of the insulationfrom the conductor;

Fig. 9 isa vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 9- 9 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows and showing the mechanism in the position it occupiesprior to the "operation of the ram and showing the cord and conductors in place between the tools;

Fig. '10 isa vertical "sectional view taken substantially along the "line lllflll of Figp lxin the the conductors have been sheared, but prio to Fig. .2 is a :view 'in perspective of the end of a cord comprising three -separately insulated conductors showing the conductors with the insula tion stripped fromzthem'byimeans 'of the -apparatus -:constituting the invention;

3 i :an exploded perspective view of one set of the tools tor-operating on the cord;

:Fig. 4 is a :plan view "of the slidsibl plate and showing part of the :bed of the press and the mechanisms thereon which cooperate with the portion of the apparatus that is slid transversely tools the stripping of the insulation from the conductors;

Fig. 11 is a view similartc Fig. 10, xcept'that it shows the various parts of the apparatus in the position they occupy after the rain has com pletely descended; and

Fig. 1 2 is a plan sectional view taken substantiallyalong 'thelline ll2-|'2 of Fig. 11 in the'direction o'fth'e arrows.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characmrs designate the same parts throughout the-several views, particular reference being'had first to .Fig. 2, wherein the three-conductorcord isshown at 15. This cord comprises three conductors f6, l1 and]!!! covered individually by sheaths o'f'insula'tion 1'9, 20 and 2 l. The

three insulated conductors are, in turn, enclosed in a layer of insulation 22. Prior to being delivered to the apparatus constituting the presentinvention, the layer of insulation 22 .is cut ofi at 23 to expose the three conductors 1'6, lil and I8Jinsulated by their sheaths I9, '20 and .21. As the cord I5 is delivered to the apparatus of the .present invention, ithethree insulated conductors l'ii. l1 and 18 are all of the :same length, as. indicated by the'dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, and .are .to be stripped of their insulation and sheared to vary 'ing lengths, a clearly illustrated in this figure.

The apparatus whioheffects the-operations just described comprises e. punch press including a stationary holster .28 (Fig. :5) above which there is a vertically .reciprocable ram 29, which may be actuated in any suitable manner to move downwardly and then upwardly in a single cycle of operation of the press, asis usual in :punch press mechanisms. The bolster 28 has suitably fixed thereto a die shoe 36, having upstanding shoulders 3I and 32 (Fig. 9) which cooperate with guide plates 33 and 34 to slidably position a support plate 35, which is equipped with a pair of handles 36 and 31, whereby it may be slid from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig 4, that is, from a position in front of the ram 29 to a position under the ram. The support plate 35 is limited in its forward movement away from the ram by a stop pin 38 and is limited in its movement toward the rear of the apparatus by a pair of adjustable abutment screws 39-49, which are threaded into blocks 46-46. in turn mounted on the die shoe 36. 7

Fixed to and extending upwardly from the support plate 35 are a pair of posts 4545, on which there is slidably mounted a clamping block 46. The posts are positioned in shouldered apertures 4141 and have head portions 48-48, as shown most clearly in Fig. 9, which engage shoulders 4949 formed in the apertures 41, whereby the upward movement of the clamping block 46 is limited. The'clamping block 46 is normally urged upwardly by a compression-spring 56, which, as shown most clearly in Fig. 10, is seated in recesses and 52 formed in the clamping block 46 and support plate 35, respectively. The clamping block 46 cooperates with an upper clamping block 53 slidably mounted on posts 5454 (Fig, 9) threaded into a head plate 55, which is suitably attached to the ram 29. The clamping block 53 is normally urged downwardly by a compression spring 56, which, as shown most clearly in Figs. and 11, i seated in recesses 51 and 56 formed in the head plate 55 and upper clamping block 53, respectively. The upper clamping block has a plurality of pins 5959 mounted in it, which limit properly aligned by the liner pins 14--14 after the support plate 35 has been pushed against the abutment screws 3939. The upper surface of the slidable plate 65 has three recesses 15, 16 and 11 formed in it (Figs. 5 and 11), in which compression springs 18, 19 and 86 are seated. The upper ends of the compression springs 18, 19 and v 86 enter recesses 8|, 82 and 83 formed in a cam the amount of upward movement of the upper upwardly a relatively short distance and, thereafter, will move downwardly with the head plate 55 and will then force the clamping block .46 downwardly against the action of the spring 56. It will be understood that the clamping of the cord by the clamping blocks 46 and 53 will not take place until after the support plate 35 has been slid under the head plate 55 on the ram 29 and that the cord I5, prior to being then clamped, will be held loosely on the lower clamping block 46, as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The support plate 35 carries on its upper surface a slidable plate 65, which, as seen most clear-. ly in Figs. 5, 9, 10 and 11, is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10 bya detent 66, which is slidable in a recess 61 formed in the support plate 35 and normally urged upwardly to project it upper end into a notch 68 in the slid able plate 65 by a compression spring 69. The front and rear edges of theslidable plate 65 are dove-tailed to fit dove-tailed ways 16 and 1| suitably attached to the support plate 35 to guide the slidable plate 85 in its movement transversely of the support plate 35. The way 1| is provided with apertures 1212 (Figs. 1 and 4) in direct vertical alignment with apertures 13-13 in the support plate 35. These two aligned apertures are adapted to receive liner pins 14 14 attached to the head plate 55 when the ram'29 of the press is moved downwardly and, accordingly, a slight taper is formed at the upper end of the apertures 12 so that the various parts of the mechanism will be 4 ing recess I22 formed in it. The pinching knife plate 84 and normally support the cam plate 84 V in the position shown in Figs. 5, 9 and 10. In order to properly align the cam plate 84 and the slidable plate 65, four liner pins 85, 86, 81 and 88 are mounted on the slidable plate 65 and extend into liner holes 89, 96, 9I and 92 in the cam plate 84, respectively. It should be noted that 5), which cooperate with a dove-tailed slot I61 cut into the head plate 55, whereby the plate '95 will be reciprocated with the head plate 55, but

may be slid transversely thereof by the pins 81 a and 88 when the cam plate 84 is slid transversely of the support plate 35 after the liner pins 81 and 88 enter the apertures 93 and 94 in the tool supporting plate 95. The tool supporting plate 95 is normally held in theposition shown in Figs. 9

and 10 by a spring-pressed detent I68 (Figs. 9, 10';

and 11) which is seated in a recess I69 and urged downwardly by a compression spring II6 to bear against the upper surface of the tool supporting plate 95, the tool supporting plate 95 being provided with a notch II I adapted to receive the tapered end of the detent pin I98. The tool supporting plate 95 has four actuator pins lI2-! I2 mounted in it, as shown most clearly in Fig. 12. which, after the ram 29 of the press has moved downwardly a predetermined distance. will engage the upper surface of the cam plate 84 to move the cam plate 84 downwardly against the action of the compression springs 18, 19 and 86.

Suitably mounted on the tool supporting plate 95 are a pair of tools II3II3 and a tool II4,

which cooperate with 'a pair of tools I I5--I I 5 and a tool H6, respectively, mounted on and extending upwardly from the cam plate 84. The tools I I3 and H5 are shown most clearly in Figs. 6, 7

and 8 and the tools H4 and H6 are shown most clearly in Fig. 3. As shown in these figures, each of the tools II3I I3 is provided with a shearing edge I I1 formed on a downwardly extending portion I I8 thereof and adapted to cooperate with a shearing edge I I 9 formed on an upwardly extending portion I26 of the companion tool II5. Also 7 7 extending downwardly from the body of each tool H3 is a pinching knife I2I having a wire-receiv- I2 I, is adapted to cooperate with a pinching knife I 23 formed on the companion tool I I5 and having a wire-receiving recess I24 in it. The two pairs of pinching knives I2II2I and I23I23 are blunt-edged and are adapted to engage and pinch the insulation I9 and 26 on the conductors l6 and I1, as shown in Fig. 2, the conductors being receivedin the recesses I22-- I22 and I24I24; It should be remembered that there are two tools II3I I3 and II 5-I I5 operating simultaneously on the separated insulated conductors I6 and I1.

asespi'm The tool N4 is of the same general construction as the "tool I 1'3, but it cooperates with the tool "H 6, which is of a slightly different shape from the tools II5II5. The tool I IB has a pinching knife I25 adapted to cooperate with a pinching knife 126 on the tool I'M in the same manner that the knives .I 2I I2:I and lid-I23 cooperate. Howeventhe tool Hi6 extends farther above the nppersurface of the cam plate :64 than do the tools HE-I15 and, in addition, is cut away as shown. at I27 and I28 to permit the insulated conductors I6 and I! to pass by it to rest on the tools I I5.I:l5. This construction is provided since the three-conductor cord 15 has the conductors I6 and I1 substantially parallel and at a lower level than the conductor I8 and the conductor I8 will thus enter a groove 129 in the tool H6 and the conductors I6 "and I I will rest again-st the tool I I 6 in the cut-away portions I 2 and I28.

When a cord I5, which has had its outer layer of insulation cut ofi at 23 (Fig. 2), is to have its separate conductors cut, as shownin Fig. 2, an'd to have the insulation stripped from the ends of them, thecc-rd maybe placed on top of the clamping block 45, which is provided with a locating plate I35 adapted to receive and lightly grip the cord I 5 inaslot :35 formed therein. Coopera ing with the locating plate I35 are a pair of locat-ing pins I'M-4 3! positioned to bear against opposite sides-of the cord id, as shownmost clear- 1 in Fig. 4. The end of the outer layer of insulation '22 of the cord I5 is positioned against a second locating plate I38 on the block 45. As shown most clearly in Fig, 3, the locating plate I38 has an upwardly extending U-shaped portion 139, which has grooves I as and Mil formed in it to receive the insulated conductors l5 and I]. The end'of the layer .22 of insulationwill abut the1=1ocating plate I33 and the conductor EIBmay be laid in the U-shaped portion I 39, whereas the two conductors I6 and I-i, with their sheaths of insulation on them, may he laid in the grooves MI and MI], respectively. It should be noted'that the upper surface of the clamping block 45 has .a groove I4 2 formed in it for receiving the cord -I 5.

When the cord is is placed with the end :of its insulation 2-2 abutting "the locating plate I38,:and with the insulated conductor I8 laid in the U- shaped portion 139, the insulated conductor +8 will extend through the :groove I29 in the tool ME and ma then be bent over and forced be tween a pair of locating pins I 43-M3 (Figs. '1, 4.

and 12 which extend from the upper surface of the cam plate 84. Similarly, the conductors I6 and H, with the insulation is and 2%.! still-on them, may-be laid in the grooves M l-4M in the tools Mfr-H5 and between locating pins I45 I45 adjacent to the two tools 1 l5-l I 5. Recesses I-ll.6l le are provided adjacent to each of the tools II 5-I-I':5 to receive thedownwardly extending portions Ila-H8 of the tools Ills-I I3 and also to receive the cut-oil ends of the insulated conductors when the ram 29 moves the tools Il3-l l5 downwardl to shear the ends from the conductors I6 and H, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. .2.

.As soon as the tools Iii-H3 and HA -M l have sheared the ends from the conductors 16,41 and 1-8 and the cooperating pinching knives 122- I22, I.2.3.l23, I25 and I25have pinchedthe insulation on theconductorsassociated with them, the pins lI-2-I-I.2 carried by thetool supporting plate 95 will engage the nppersurface .of the-cam plate 84 and force the ,plate 84 dow nwardly The plate 84 is provided with frontwardly and rearwardly extending camming :portions 141 and me... The :camming portion I41 has .a cam face I49 which :cooperates'with a'cam face Ifioformed on :a .carnming and guide llo'lock 'I5iI (Figs. 4 and 9), in turn mounted on way Ill. The camming portion I48 is provided with a cam face I152 (Figs. 4, 1 0 and 11) for cooperating with a cam face r53 on a camming and guide block I54 on way it, whereby when the -:cam plate 84 is: pushed downwardly, it will .be shifted to the right (Figs. l, 9 and 10) -.to the position shown in Figs. 11 and I2, aiterthe pinching knives have pinched the insulation IE, it! and 21 on the conductors I 6, 11! and It, respectively, to strip the insulation from the ends of the conductors which have been sheared by the "tools Il a-H13 and Iti-1 L5 and IM and 11:5. The-camming plate 184 is provided with extending ribs I55 and 1156, as seen most clearly inEig. 4, which extend under ail-overlying pcrtion o'f the lcamming and guide blocks .154 and 4-51, respectively, to limit the upward movement ofthe 'cam plate 84 and to aid in guiding the scam plate when it shifts transversel to the position shown in Figs. 11 :and 12.

Suitably supported on the upper portion of the punch press, of which 'the ram 29 and bolster 28 comprise a part, is a cam member I51, which is adapted "to engage a slopin face I58 of the tool supporting plate whenthe ram '29 moves to its upper position, whereby the tool supporting'plate 95 will .be moved backto the position shown in Fig. 9. The "mechanism for shifting the :slidable plate 65 back to the position shown in Figs. 9 and '10 comprisesa sloping face or cam surface I59 'formed on the plate 65 and adapted toiengage a cam :"roller freely rotatable 011 a stud ital, which is, in turn, mounted on the his shoe 3B. The'last described part becomes effective when the guide plate 35 is :slid back to the position shown inrEig. 1 from the position shown inflig, =4.

A complete understanding :of the apparatus may he had loy reference to the following brief description of the mode :of operation thereof in stripping the ends from three insulated conductors and trimming fthe conductors to the desired length. With the slidable :p'late I35 in the position :shoWn ini-Fig. 1, 1a three conductor :cord 15, from which the outer layer 22 of insulation has been suitably removed, "may be placed with the end of .thelayer :of insulation, as shown at '23 CF'ig. 2), against the locating plate 138. with the body 'of the cord 15 wedged in the locating :plate I-35-andwith th'econductor =18, 1:5 and l! I, respectively, "positioned in the grooves I29, I'M and I44, respectively, and with the conductors engaged between the pins 143-443 and Md-I45. The body of the three-conductor cord I5 will, of course, be wedged between the pins 131-431 to aid :in holding it in :place. The slidable plate 35 may then be slid under the ram 29 of the punch press until the rear end of the plate abuts the :abutment screws 39-39. After the plate -35 has been thus positioned, the ,press may be operated throughAone complete cycle to drive the ram 29 downwardly and then retract :it to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 9. As the ram of the press 29 moves downwardly, theliner pins M will enter the aligned apertures :12 and 13 in the dovetailed ,plate H and in the support plate 35, thus to properly locate the support plate under the ram of the press. A the ram 29 continues to move downwardly, the liner pins .85! :and 88 will enter the liner .holes 93 and 94 in the tool supporting plate 95 to look the tool supporting plate 95and the slidable plate 55 together. Shortly after the liner pins 81 and 88 enter the liner holes 93 and 94, the upper clamping block 53 will engage the cord I to clamp it tightly between the upper clamping block and the lower clamping block 46, thus to hold the cord l5 against longitudinal movement. As the ram 29 continues to move downwardly, the block 46 will move with it against the action of the spring 50 due to the pins 59 on the clamping block 53 striking the lower surface of the head plate 55. The springs I9, 19 and 80 are sufficiently strong to hold the cam plate 84 in its upper position, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, until the shearing edges formed on the tools lI3-I l3 and I I4 cooperate with the shearing edges formed on the tools II 5-1 [5 and H6, to cut off the ends of the insulated conductors I 5, I1 and 18. As soon as this cutting-off operation is completed to remove the portions of the insulated conductors shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, the cam plate 84 will start to shift to the right as the springs 18, I9 and 80 are compressed. Since the liner pins 81 and 88 have, at

this time, been nested in the apertures 93 and 94 in the tool supporting plate 95, the tool supporting plate 95 will move with the slidable plate 65 and cam plate 84 transversely'oi the die shoe 30 and the support plate 35. Since the pinching knives I22I22, I23-I23, I25 and I26 have pinched the sheaths of insulation I9, 20 and 2| on the conductors l6, l1 and I8 tightly between .them to substantially out the sheaths of insulation at the point of engagement thereof by the pinching knives, the movement of the tool sup port 95 and camming member 84' to the right from the position shown in Figs. 9 and to the position shown in Figs. 11 and 12 will strip the sheaths of insulation from the ends of the con-' ductors I6, 11 and I8. This stripping action-will be completed at approximately the time the ram reaches the limit of its travel downwardly and the ram will, in the usual manner, immediately move upwardly to carry the sloping face I58 of the tool supporting plate 95 into engagement with the cam member I51, thereby to cam the tool supporting plate 95 back to its former position, as shown in Fig. 9. The cam plate 84 will then have the sheared-off ends of the insulated conduotors and the stripped sections of insulation on it, and the slidable plate 65 and cam plate 84 will remain in their right hand positions, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, although the ram of the press has moved upwardly and theclamping block 53 has moved out of engagement with the cord I5. The cord I5 may then be removed from the pins I31I31 and locating plate I35 and the support plate 35 may be moved back to the position shown in Fig. 1 by manipulation ofthei handles 36 and 31. In moving from the position shown in Fig. 12 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the slidable plate 35 will carry the cam surface I59 on the slidable plate 65 past the roller I60 and, accordingly, the plate 65 and the cam plate 84 carried thereby will be shifted back to the left to the position shown in Fig. 1. After the plate 35 is thus moved back to the position shown in Fig, 1, the scrap material on the upper surface of the cam plate 84 may be removed therefrom in any suitable manner and a new cord placed in position to have its ends trimmed and stripped and the operations just described may then be repeated.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for trimming and stripping conductors comprising a support plate, a slidable plate mounted for movement on the support plate, a cam plate resiliently mounted on the slidable plate, means cooperating with the cam plate for engaging thereciprocable and slidable tool sup.

porting plate to lock the slidable plate and tool supporting plate together for movement in said one direction, said means being disengageable before said two plates move in the opposite direction.

2. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulated conductors comprising a reciprocable ram, a tool supporting plate slidable with respect to the ram and movable with the ram, a plurality of trimming and stripping tools on the tool supporting plate, a stationary bed, a support plate slidable on said bed to position beneath the ram, aslidable plate on said support plate, a cam plate resiliently mounted on the slidable plate, cooperating cam surfaces on the cam plate and slidable plate for moving the cam plate transversely, and trimming and stripping tools on the cam plate for cooperation with the tools ,on the tool supporting plate to trim conductors during part of the movement of the ram in one direction and for stripping'insulation from the conductors during another part of the movement of the ram in said direction. 7

3. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulated conductors comprising a reciprocable ram, a tool supporting plate slidable with respect to the ram and movable with the ram, a plurality of trimming and stripping tools on the tool supporting plate, a stationary bed, a support plate slidable on said bed to position beneath the ram, cooperating cord clamping means on the ram and stationary plate for clamping a plurality of conductors during the trimming and stripping thereof, a slidable plate on said support plate, .a' cam plate resiliently mounted on the slidable plate, cooperating cam surfaces on the cam plate and slidable plate for moving the cam plate transversely, and trimming and stripping tools on the cam plate for cooperation with the tools on the tool supporting plate to trim conductors during part of the movement of the ram in one direc tion and for stripping insulation from the conductors during another part of the movement of the ram in said direction. I

4. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulated conductors comprising a reciprocable ram, a stationary bed, cooperating tools mounted on and slidable with respect to the ram and bed for trimming insulated conductors and stripping insulation from the insulated conductors and means for sliding said tools transversely of the path of movement of the ram and with respect to the ram and bed in response to movement of the ram.

5. An apparatus for trimming and stripping illsulated conductors comprising a reciprocable ram, a tool supportingplate slidable with respect to the ram and movable with the ram, a plurality of trimming and stripping tools on the tool supporting plate, a stationary bed, a support plate slidable on said bed to position beneath the ram,

a slidable plate on said support plate, a cam plate resiliently mounted on the slidable plate, coop-- crating cam surfaces on the cam plate and slidable plate for moving the cam plate transversely of the support plate, means for connecting the tool supporting plate to the slidable plate to move the tool supporting plate transversely with the slidable plate, trimming and stripping tools on the cam plate for cooperation with the tools on the tool supporting plate to trim'conductors during part of the movement of the ram in one direction and for stripping insulation from the conductors during another part of the movement of the ram in said direction, and means for restoring said slidable plate to position to be moved by the cam surfaces.

6. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulated. conductors comprising a reciprocable ram, a tool supporting plate slidable with respect to the ram and movable with the ram, a plurality of trimming and stripping tools on the tool supporting plate, a stationary bed, a support plate slidable on said bed to position beneath the ram, a slidable plate on said support plate, a cam plate resiliently mounted on the slidable plate, cooperating cam surfaces on the cam plate and slidable plate for moving the cam plate transversely, trimming and stripping tools on the cam plate for cooperation with the tools on the tool supporting plate to trim conductors during part of the movement of the ram in one direction and for stripping insulation from the cnductors during another part of the movement of the ram in said direction, means for interconnecting the tool supporting plate and slidable plate to move the tool supporting plate during the stripping of insulation from the conductors, and means for restoring the tool supporting plate and the slidable plate to their original positions after they have been moved transversely.

7. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulated conductors comprising a reciprocable ram, a tool supporting plate slidable with respect to the ram and movable with the ram, a plurality of trimming and stripping tools on the tool supporting plate, a stationary bed, a support plate slidable on said bed to position beneath the ram, a slidable plate on said support plate, a cam plate resiliently mounted on the slidable plate, cooperating cam surfaces on the cam plate and slidable plate for moving the cam plate transversely,

trimming and stripping tools on the cam plate for cooperation with the tools on the tool supporting plate to trim conductors during part of the movement of the ram in one direction and for stripping insulation from the conductors during another part of the movement of the ram in said direction, means for interconnecting the tool supporting plate and slidable plate to move the tool supporting plate during the stripping of insulation from the conductors, means associated with the ram for automatically restoring the tool supporting plate during movement of the ram in a direction opposite to the hereinbefore mentioned direction, and means associated with the slidable plate for restoring it to its original position with respect to the supporting plate after it has been moved transversely 8. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulating conductors comprising a pair of relatively movable cooperating tool-supporting plates, cooperating tools on said plates for trimming conductors when the plates are moved together, means for moving the plates together, whereby said tools engage the conductors, means for holding the conductors against movement with the tools, means cooperating with the plates for locking the plates together when they are moved together, and cam means for engaging an edge of one of the plates while the plates are locked together for moving both of the plates as a unit along the conductors.

9. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulating conductors, comprising a pair of cooperating tool-supporting plates, cooperating tools on said plates for trimming conductors when the plates are moved together, means for moving the plates together and apart, means for locking the plates together when they are moved together, cam means for engaging an edge of one of the plates while the plates are locked together for moving both plates as a unit along the conductors, and means in the path of movement of the plates for separately engaging the edges of the plates after they have been moved apart for moving the plates in a direction opposite to the movement of the plates when locked.

10. An apparatus for trimming and stripping insulated conductors comprising a support plate, a second plate mounted for sliding movement on the support plate, a cam plate resiliently mounted on the second plate, shearing and pinching tools on the cam plate, a reciprocable and slidable tool-supporting plate, a head plate for moving the reciprocable tool-supporting plate toward and away from the cam plate, tools on the tool-supporting plate for cooperation with the tools on the cam plate, means on the second plate for engaging the cam plate and the tool-supporting plate to lock the plates together for sliding movement, and a cam for engaging an edge of the cam plate to slide the second plate and the tool-supporting plate transversely along the support plate and the head plate, respectively.

11. An apparatus for stripping insulated conductors comprising a stationary plate, a head plate movable facewise toward and away from the stationary plate, a stripping tool slidably mounted on the stationary plate, a second stripping tool slidably mounted on the head plate for cooperating with the first-mentioned tool to sever a portion of an insulating cover positioned on a conductor when the head plate is moved toward the stationary plate, means for temporarily looking the tools together, means for holding the conductor in a stationary position when the insulating cover of the conductor is severed by the tools, and means cooperating with the tools for sliding the tools along the plates after the tools have been locked together, whereby the tools strip the severed portion of the insulating cover from the conductor.

JOSEPH J. LEMBITZ. SAMUEL M. MARTIN. JOHN G. MILLER. 

